Celje claimed a 1-0 victory over Olimpija Ljubljana in the fourth round of the Slovenian First League on Saturday evening. The match ended with a single goal from T. Letonja, who struck in the 70th minute to secure three points at home. Both sides entered the fixture level on 11 points, though Olimpija had played one additional game.
Celje controlled much of the tempo, registering 99 attacks compared to Olimpija's 60. The hosts held 59 per cent possession and managed three shots on target, while the visitors could only manage two. To be fair, Olimpija did not create many clear chances, with their shots accuracy sitting at just 22 per cent.
The first notable incident arrived in the 36th minute when D. Mitrovski picked up a yellow card. Olimpija made their first change in the 46th minute, bringing on L. Koutris, while Celje responded with a substitution of Y. Dukuly in the 60th minute. B. Lourenco followed for Olimpija in the 62nd, and A. Dionkou was cautioned in the 66th minute.
Letonja's goal changed the complexion of the game. He came forward in the 70th minute and finished clinically, and by then Olimpija had already begun to chase the match. Celje then made a tactical shift, replacing Letonja himself in the 80th minute with A. Doffo appearing later on. D. Kojic was also brought on for Celje in the 76th minute.
The statistics tell a straightforward story. Celje dominated possession and created more opportunities, but Olimpija struggled to convert. The visitors managed only two shots on target from 60 attacks, while the hosts required just three accurate efforts to find the net. And here's the thing — many shots with one goal means chances went begging for the away side.
The result leaves both teams on 11 points in the table, though Celje now sit fourth while Olimpija remain fifth. The hosts have played seven games compared to Olimpija's eight, so the gap in games played has widened slightly. Celje had lost their previous outing 2-1 to Ararat-Armenia, so this win provides a necessary lift after a difficult run.